Lock for egg-crate tops.



M. S. BENNETT.

LOCK roa EGG cam TOPS.

APPLlC/YI IONv FILED JUNE 5,1916. 1 ,2 l 6., 1 I Patented Feb, 20, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

M. S. BENNETT.

lOCK FOR EGG CRATE TOPS.

APPLICATION FILED IUNES, I916.

Patented Feb. 20, 1917,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

TUE.

MARTIN S. BENNETT, 0F MINNEAPOLIS, KANSAS.

LOCK FOB EGG-CRATE TOPS.

1,216,4lilll.

Application filed June 5, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTIN S. BENNETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Ottawa and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Looks for Egg- Crate Tops; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has for its object to provide a simple and inexpensive locking means for a vertically adjustable receptacle closure such as those used on egg crates, the improved lock affording means for carrying the crate or the like from place to place.

With the foregoing general object in View, the invention resides in the unique features of construction hereinafter fully described and claimed and shown in the drawingswherein Figure l is a vertical section of an egg crate showing the improved lock applied to the cover thereof;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken substantially on the plane of the line 22 of Fig. 1, showing the lock in operative position;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the cover with the lock released; and,

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of the cover and the lock thereon.

In specifically describing the structure shown in the drawings above briefly described, similar characters will be employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views and reference will be herein made to the numerous elements by their respective indices. To this end the numeral 1 designates an egg crate open at its top, two of the opposed sides 2 of said crate having metal strips 3 secured to their inner sides, said strips being bent outwardly and downwardly over the upper edges of the sides 2 and around molding strips 4 which surround the upper end of the crate. At vertically spaced intervals the strips 3 are formed with apertures 5 adapted to receive locking bolts of a vertically adjustable top 6.

The top 6 is received slidably in the crate I 1 and is provided on the upper side of two of its edges with reinforcing cleats 7, such cleats having transverse grooves 8 1n thelr lower sldes in wh1ch a pan of aimed wire a locking bolts 9 are slidably mounted, said Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 26, 1917.

Serial No. 101,808.

bolts being adapted to have their outer ends forced into the openings 5 to lock the tops 6 in adjusted position. Preferably the sides 2 of the crate have openings 10 registering with said openings 5 in order that the bolts may be projected through the latter sufficiently to be more effective than would otherwise be possible.

The inner ends of the two bolts 9 are bent upwardly atright angles as indicated at 11 and are received in a pair of apertures 12 formed through a horizontal. sheet metal bar 13, said bar eing pivoted at its center to the center of the top 6 upon an upright bolt or the like 14. It will thus be seen that by turning the bar 13 horizontally the bolts 9 may be projected and retracted at will. The opposite ends of bar 13 are bent upwardly at right angles as shown at 15 and a hand hold 16 extends between said ends above the body of said bar, said hand hold being secured in place by a rod 17 extending therethrough and having its ends upset in the ends 15. By this construction the hand hold 16 serves as means for turning the bar 13 to project and retract the bolts 9 and at the same time constitutes a handle by means of which the entire crate may be carried from place to place regardless of the position of the top 6.

Used in conjunction with the parts above described is a pair of resilient locking fingers 20 one end of said fingers lying on and being secured to the upper side of the top 6 while the intermediate portions of said fingers are bent upwardly at 21 to provide stop shoulders against which the edges of the bar 13-are adapted to strike when turned to either limit of its movement. After for1ning the shoulders 21 the fingers 20 extend horizontally at 22 to overlie the bar 13 when it is positioned to project the bolts 9, the free ends of said fingers being bent downwardly and then upwardly as indicated at 23 to provide keepers to yieldably retain bar 13 in the last mentioned position. These keepers are so shaped, however, as to permit the bar 15 to be turned to retract the bolts when suitable force is ex .erted on the hand hold 16. They also serve to prevent upward bending of the ends of the horizontal portion of the strip 13, this.

strip being formed of rather thin sheet metal for the sake of inexpensive manufacture.

From the foregoing taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the con struction, manner of operation and advantages of the improved crate top will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation, but in conclusion I willstate that although certain specific details of construction have been shown and described, for accomplishing probably the best results, numerous changes may be made within the scope of the invention as claimed without sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

I claim:

7 In combination, a receptacle cover, a sheet metal strip bent into U -shape and pivoted centrally between its ends to said cover, said strip having openings spaced in oppo- 7 site dire'ctions'from its piv0t,'a pair of oppOsitely extending horizontal locking bolts resting slidably on the cover and having their inner ends received beneath said strip 'flo aies ofth is patent may be obtained for my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MARTIN S. BENNETT.

Witnesses RAY F. SEXTON,

C. D. CLARK.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

